Never hidden
by BriefShiningMoment
Summary: Morgana asks her army at Camelot's gates why they should hold hope for the legend Emrys when he has hidden from them. EXTENDED! Now a choice has been given. Prequel. Continue? Or better left as it was?
1. Never hidden

At the head of her army, Morgana knew now was the time. Standing at the gates of Camelot, her people were becoming restless. Rumours of Emrys were spreading, rumours that he was the enemy of Morgana. Their leader, the most powerful warlock history had seen protected Camelot in the hope of a future peace.

Fools, Morgana seethed. They didn't know the sacrifices she had made. What had Emrys done? Thwarted her every plan and why? To protect druids and magic folk? No, to protect those who would hunt and kill them all. Traitor. Now she had an army to march on to Camelot with. An army with no weakness, no Achilles heel. They wouldn't be so easily gotten rid of by destroying a staff or knocking over a cup.

"You all know of Emrys. You fear him, wait for him, hope for him. I ask you one question. Where is he? Where is this Emrys? Why does he hide from his destiny while our people suffer at the hands of Camelot?"

Morgana smiled, realising that her words were having the desired effect. She then frowned, sensing a disturbance. Through the crowd she could see someone walking towards her. Curiosity and a strange sense of foreboding came over her. She waited for this visitor as he made his way through. All she could see was that he was wearing a long blue cloak.

She was about to greet him when he passed the crowd. Until he walked straight past her. Suspicious now and more than a little wary she gathered her magic and prepared, for what she didn't know.

"I am Emrys," a deep voice announced. Gasps echoed from behind Morgana. She could only stare in shock and more than a little fear. He raised his hands and without a word, conjured a shield which seemed to be spread over the entire city. The immense display of magic left people with no doubt that he spoke the truth.

Emrys turned to face the army, took off his hood and revealed himself. The ever present servant to the King Arthur, Merlin gazed at the gathered forces with glowing gold in his eyes.

"And I have never hidden."


	2. Ultimatum

Merlin stood between two sides of a war, part of both but neither at the same time. The red and yellow of Camelot's colours met the brown and green of the Druids. Standing in his blue cloak, Merlin had never felt so alone. The confrontation had come to an impasse. The two sides now had no interest in the other, their attention all drawn to the figure in the centre, dividing the conflict. He was the leader of the magical community, yet the servant of Camelot, friend of the king himself.

"You all have a choice," Merlin announced, gazing at each side equally. "The same choice. You can trust. Trust in a future where this kingdom can stand united with magic, not in fear but in peace. I've seen it." No one doubted his words. The truth of them lay in the fervour of his voice and the wisdom in his eyes.

"This war, as you know it is over, because there is another choice. You can fight. You can fight me. No matter who you are or what you stand for I will stand in your way. No magic user will die at the hands of Camelot and no knight will die at the hands of a sorcerer while I'm alive. Whether you like it or not you are already united. Whether that unity will be of peace or pain I leave for you to decide."

Merlin stopped talking and a tense silence fell. There were no whispers, each and every man and woman standing now absorbed in their own thoughts. Wordlessly and invisibly, Merlin sent out a spell. In his mind's eye, all those gathered with magic now appeared green, while the other side appeared red. His heart hoped with all its might that they would choose peace. Just in case, his head urged him to take precautions. Hopefully, he could stand by his promise, and any possible conflicts could be prevented. He knew that if this went the wrong way he was effectively isolating himself from both sides.

Not for long, his heart whispered again.

"Who will speak for magic?" he asked. Slowly, a group came together, made up of all the druid leaders gathered and came forward, Morgana at the front.

"Who will speak for Camelot?" he asked of the other side. That group had already been gathered, the knights of the Round Table with Arthur at the head, gazing at Merlin with unreadable eyes.

Merlin was careful to keep the shield between the two, a gap in the fold where only he stood.

"What is your decision?"


	3. Handing in his resignation

He already knew Morgana's answer depended on Arthur's decision. It was for this reason that Merlin had asked Arthur the question before her. This involved him looking the man in the eyes, to the friend he'd lied to for years. To the friend that now chose to be his enemy. The words he'd spoken haunted Merlin even now.

_Magic has always been an enemy to Camelot. That hasn't changed. _

Enemy. Traitor. It was the weight that pulled Merlin down whenever he thought about it. He'd had no choice but to stand between the two armies until they'd all dispersed, to meet every angered glare and insult. Night had fallen before Merlin moved from his vigil, eyes blurry with tears and exhaustion.

He didn't belong with the druids anymore. Any peaceful camp that could have kept him would have been hounded by others should he take shelter there. He didn't belong in Camelot. Gaius was being watched with suspicion everywhere he went. Merlin didn't bother heading over to the physician's quarters, not even to fetch his book, staff or dragon carving. Familiarity wasn't safe anymore.

Yet here he was, in Camelot. Wearing a black cloak with the hood up and sneaking around as per usual. Except the clothes on his back plus his spares at his makeshift camp were all he owned now. No home. No friends. No job. Well, not an official one anyway. He still had his destiny, or what little he could claim.

It was time to speak to Arthur again.

MERLIN

Upon entering his chambers, Arthur dropped into a crouch at the sight of the back of a brown jacket and a mop of black hair. He stealthily crept forward and drew his sword silently, using all his skill as a warrior to remain undetected by the man –_ sorcerer_ – in front of him. With lightening fast movements that came with years of training, the king of Camelot swept his sword round to rest threateningly on the neck of his target.

"Why are you here?" he hissed.

At the sound of Arthur's voice, the vision of the man in front of him disappeared.

"Better than I expected," commented Merlin from behind the king, ignoring Arthur's question. "At least you didn't kill first, ask questions later. Although that didn't happen when the other sorcerers came here." Arthur ignored the reprimand in Merlin's voice and instead studied his form, checking to see if it wasn't another illusion. As Merlin stepped forward and the sound of his tread reached Arthur's ears, he settled for watching him warily.

"What are you doing here, _Emrys_?" Merlin winced at the use of that name and Arthur felt it was a small victory.

"To see if you'll change your mind," Merlin answered seriously. "And to resign," he added wryly. Arthur stared at him incredulously and Merlin was unsure whether it was to his first answer or the second.

"Why did you do it, Merlin? You've been hiding here, keeping your head down and lying to everyone, quite content with your life for what? Eight years? What happened?"

If Arthur had been expecting Merlin to wince at the mention of his lying or look chagrined at his betrayal he was disappointed.

"It was all meant to be worth it, in the end," Merlin contemplated. "You're a good man Arthur, just not to magic. I'd hoped that if I stayed by your side long enough, protecting you and giving advice it would have come together. I'd hoped that when you became King, you would change the law that made me your enemy and drove away your sister. Even if you hadn't done it immediately I would have kept trying. There would have still been a hope.

I would have still had a hope that one day I wouldn't be hunted for who I am. I'd one day be able to tell my best friend that I have magic and I'm not evil and perhaps, you'd have believed me. I'd have been able to tell you my name and what I do, everyday to protect you." Merlin paused and gave a small smile. "Hope is a fine thing. I stood by when you called me evil. When you threw me in stocks and gave me extra chores. I can't stand by as you start another Purge in the name of your father."

"You know nothing of my father!" Arthur hissed vehemently. He'd watched Merlin talk with a glazed expression only coming to life at the mention of his father. Merlin noted this change, wondering dimly if any of this was getting through to him.

"I know more than you," Merlin said sadly, no tone of defence in his voice, only truth. He turned away, noticing dimly that the fire had gone out. He stopped and turned to face his friend again, frustration breaking through his composure.

"Why did you do it, Arthur?" he asked desperately. "I know magic has caused you pain, but why did you have to reinstate the magic ban? This didn't have to happen, this wasn't…this wasn't supposed to happen," he trailed off to a whisper. His gaze drifted off to the window, his features lined with pain.

"I have to protect this kingdom. I'd allowed myself to grow lax, encourage people to think magic had a place in Camelot. It was time to confirm my position, to support the laws of my father. This changes nothing," Arthur stated. It sounded like he'd rehearsed it. Merlin looked to the desk and wondered whether he'd find a transcript of this conversation.

He gave Arthur one last look. It wasn't one of betrayal or anger as Arthur had been expecting. Instead, the king of Camelot almost flinched at the deep sadness in Merlin's eyes as the warlock turned away from him for the last time. Arthur braced himself as he began to run and immediately felt confused as instead of running past him to the exit, Merlin headed deeper into Arthur's chambers. It wasn't until Merlin jumped toward the window that he comprehended what was happening. Arthur barely had time to think before a great shattering sound filled the room.

Shouts of alarm sounded as the entire window was smashed. Arthur rushed forwards as Merlin disappeared, only to see the warlock land safely on his feet after the fifteen metre drop. Merlin didn't look up as he took off down the courtyard, disappearing into the streets of Camelot, leaving the king staring after him, a strange emptiness in his chest.

MERLIN

As Merlin careered out into the street he bumped into someone and went sprawling. Startled he looked up in alarm, dreading who he would see.

"Gwen!" he exclaimed. She mouthed his name, too shocked to utter it fully, looking just as startled as he was. Without even thinking he automatically started gathering the clothes he had caused her to drop and handed them back to her. Still shocked, she accepted them from him.

He jumped as he heard clattering from the road he'd just sped down and realised now was really not the time.

"Stay safe, Gwen," he murmured sombrely. He offered her a smile, too much in a rush to help her on her feet and ran off in the direction of the west gate, rounding the corner before the guards sighted him.

Gwen was still staring after him, her mouth open when the guards came hurtling from the same direction.

"Where'd he go?" one demanded of her. Without a word she pointed to the south street. The guards ran off in the wrong direction of their quarry and Gwen felt a bit guilty of the deception. Gathering her feet and standing up, she began walking to the wash room with the laundry. Regardless of what the guards were up to, there were still jobs to do. Silently, she sent up a prayer for her friend, hoping that he knew what he was doing.


End file.
